The North-East angling match calendar was devastated by flooding at the weekend following torrential rain and gale-force winds.

The most high-profile casualty was the final round of the Yorkshire Winter League.

Set to be fished on the Ouse between Hunters Lodge and Linton the match had to be cancelled the day before the showdown as the Ouse burst its banks flooding the surrounding farmland.

With no room to organise a re-fish, the cancellation means that York-based Anglers World Holidays stand as league winners without having to wet a line.

It was the same story on the Ure at Ripon, where a disappointed field of 70 anglers learned that the river had reached its highest level for more than 20 years, flooding many fields and adjoining roads.

With levels more than 15 feet above normal the nearby Racecourse was also flooded.

Disappointed organiser Julian Thompson quipped: "We could have fished it but peg one would have been on the eight-furlong marker."

Weather permitting, the contest will be re-fished on February 27.

The only match of note in the local area was at Carpvale, where a few hardy souls battled the gales on Cyprio Lake.

Rob Morris (pictured left) took top spot from peg 18, where he feeder-fished corn for six carp scaling a level 18lb.

His neighbour Paul Fawcett also got among the carp on peg 19. He chose to offer meat for his trio of feeder-tempted carp weighing in at 12lbs.

Best of the rest were Johnny Haw with two carp and a tench from peg eight for 10lb and Roy Worsnop with a brace of carp from peg 12 scaling 9lb 8oz.

Updated: 11:03 Wednesday, January 12, 2005